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First United States Army
}}| }| }} }| }}} |- ! colspan="2" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center; background-color:#7990CC; color:#; border:1px solid #000;" |Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (late 1950's) |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; border:1px solid #000;" | }| }| }} }| }}} |- ! colspan="2" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center; background-color:#7990CC; color:#; border:1px solid #000;" |Distinctive Unit Insignia (29 Jan 1969) |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; border:1px solid #000;" | }| }| }} }| }}} |- ! colspan="2" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center; background-color:#7990CC; color:#; border:1px solid #000;" |First U.S. Army Flag |- |} Information Lineage *Organized 10 August 1918 in the Regular Army at La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, France, as Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, First Army. *Headquarters Troop reorganized and redesignated in September 1918 as Troop A, Headquarters Battalion, First Army. *Redesignated 1 March 1919 as Headquarters Troop, First Army. *Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, First Army, demobilized 20 April 1919 at Marseille, France. *Reconstituted 27 June 1944 in the Regular Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, First Army. *Concurrently, consolidated with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, First Army (active) (see Annex) and consolidated unit designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, First Army. *Redesignated 1 January 1957 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, First United States Army. *Headquarters Company inactivated 5 Jun 1970 at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. Annex *Constituted 15 August 1927 in the Regular Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Seventh Army. *Redesignated 13 October 1927 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, First Army. *Headquarters activated 1 October 1933 at Governors Island, New York. *Headquarters Company activated 18 November 1940 at Governors Island, New York. Shoulder Sleeve Insignia *'Description' : On a background equally divided horizontally white and red, 3 1/4 inches in height and 2 1/2 inches in width at base and 2 1/8 inches in width at top, a black block letter "A", 2 3/4 inches in height, 2 inches in width at base and 1 5/8 inches in width at top, all members 7/16 inch wide, all enclosed within a 1/8 inch Army Green border. *'Symbolism' : The red and white of the background are the colors used in flags for Armies. The letter "A" represents "Army" and is also the first letter of the alphabet suggesting "First Army." *'Background' : A black letter "A" was approved as the authorized insignia by the Commanding General, American Expedition Force, on November 16, 1918 and approved by the War Department on May 27, 1922. The background was added on November 17, 1950. Distinctive Unit Insignia *'Description' : A gold color metal and enamel device 1 1/4 inches in height overall consisting of a black enamel capital letter "A" bearing three gold stars on the top cross bar and five gold on the center cross bar, in front of and interlaced with a gold fleur-de-lis. The vertical petal is charged in base with a red enamel arrowhead behind and extending above the letter "A" and the tops of the two outside or flanking petals above the cross bar extending over the vertical legs of the letter "A". The lower ends of the outside petals curve under and over the lower ends of the vertical legs of the letter "A" and are joined together by a gold arched scroll inscribed "First In Deed" in black enamel letters. The areas within the letter "A" above the center cross bar are white enamel and the areas below the cross bar are red enamel. *'Symbolism' : The basic design was suggested by the authorized shoulder sleeve insignia of the First Army. The Interlaced fleur-de-lis represent wartime service in France and alludes to the initial organization of the Headquarters Company as the Headquarters Troop, First Army at La Ferte-sous-Jouarre, France 10 August 1918. The three stars at the top of the letter "A" are for Lorraine 1918, St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne campaigns in which the First Army participated in World War I. The five stars on the center cross bar are for the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe campaigns in which the First Army participated in World War II, the red arrowhead referring to the assault landing on the Normandy beaches. The motto "First In Deed" is based on the numerical designation, purpose and achievements of the First United States Army. *'Background' : The insignia was approved on 27 January 1969. Commanding General and staff List of former First United States Army commanders Headquarters Location Assignment and Attachment *'General Headquarters, American Expeditionary Forces': 10 Aug 1918 - 30 Apr 1919 *'General Headquarters, United States Army': 01 Oct 1933 - 09 Mar 1942 *'Army Ground Forces': 09 Mar 1942 - 00 Jan 1944 *'European Theater of Operations': 00 Jan 1944 - 00 Jul 1945 **'Twelfth Army Group': 01 Aug 1944 - 00 Dec 1944 **'21st Army Group': 00 Dec 1944 - 00 Jan 1945 **'Twelfth Army Group': 00 Jan 1945 - 00 May 1945 *'Southwest Pacific Area': 00 Jul 1945 - 00 Sep 1945 *'Army Ground Forces': 00 Sep 1945 - 09 Mar 1948 *'Army Field Forces': 09 Mar 1948 - 01 Feb 1955 *'United States Continental Army Command': 01 Feb 1955 - 01 Jul 1973 *'United States Army Forces Command': 01 Jul 1973 - Present Decorations Headquarters and Headquarters Company *1965: Award of Merit for Safety from the Department of the Army Campaign Participation Credit Headquarters and Headquarters Company (Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1918-19) Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment Headquarters, Special Troops Medical Detachment